Latch and lock mechanism



Sept. 10, 1963 w. E. ATKINSON 3,103,114 Y LATCH AND- Loox MEQHANISM Filed July 31, 1962 ATTORNEYS United States Patent O 3,103,114 LATCH AND LOCK MECHANISM Wallace E. Atkinson, Petersburg, Va., assignor to Long Manufacturing Company, Inc., Petersburg, Va., a corporation of Virginia Filed .luly 31, 1962, Ser. No. 213,810 6 Claims. (Cl. 70-71) rIfhe present invention relates to a combined latch and lock structure especially adapted for application to containers or receptacles comprising separable parts to be releasably secured in closed relation.

An object of the present invention is the provision of a combined latch and lock structure which is extremely simple and compact in construction, attractive in appearance, reliable in operation, and capable of manufacture in an economical manner.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a latch and lock structure having key lock facilities therein which is adapted to be afxed to one of the separable parts of a receptacle and includes a laterally rectilinearly movable external latching member disposed in covering relation to la stationary base plate member aixed to one of the separable parts of the receptacle to` be moved into and out of latching relation with a keeper aiiixed to the other separable part of the receptacle.

Other objects, 'advantages and capabilities of the present invention will 'become apparent from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, illustrating a preferred embodiment ot the invention.

In the drawing:

FIGURE l is a front elevation view of a combined latch and lock stnucture constructed in accordance with the present invention, shown in latching condition of a portion of a receptacle;

FIGURE 2 is a vertical transverse section view thereof, taken along the line 2-2 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is -a vertical longitudinal section view of the combined latch and lock structure taken along the plane indicated by the line 3-3 of FIGURE 2 and showing the parts in .unlatched position;

FIGURE 4 is a section view taken along the same plane as FIGURE 3 but illustrating the parts in latched position; and

FIGURE 5 is a horizontal longitudinal section view taken along the line 5--5 of FIGURE 4.

Referring to the drawing, wherein like lreference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several figures, the combined latch and lock lstructure of the present invention is indicated generally by the reference character lt) and comp-rises two Igeneral subassemblies or sections, the latching section 11 and the keeper section 12. The latching section 11 is mounted on the front wall of a lower receptacle lbody or tray portion 13 and the keeper section 12 is mounted on the front wall of 'a separable receptacle cover 14, which isjusually hinged to the body portion 13. The plane of separation between the receptacle body and cover is indicated by the reference character l5. The latching section 11 comprises a stationary base plate member 16 which `may be conveniently stamped from sheet metal having a front wall 17, upper yand lower horizontal llanges 18, 19 forming top and bottom horizontal wall members thereof and vertical flanges 2t) and 21 forming vertical end wall members, the latter having rearwardly projecting clinching lugs 22 projecting therefrom adapted to pierce the front wall of the receptacle body portion 13 :and be clinched over against the inner face of the latter to aiiix the base plate member 16 to the receptacle body. An external latching member 2S is mounted upon and encloses the stationary base plate member 16 for Vlaterally reciprocative sliding 31,1031 14 Patented Sept. 10, 1963 ICC movement relative thereto yand forms, in effect, a cover for the stationary base plate member 16 within which the latter is nested. The external latching member 25 is stamped from sheet metal to provide a `fro-nt cover portion 26 in the -form of an inwardly opening hollow shell, having a substantially rectangular, lateral elongated `front wall 27 bound-ed at the top and bottom by a shallow top flange 28 and a deeper bottom flange 29, and at the ends thereof by vertical llanges 3G, 31 Aforming end walls.V Nested Within this front cover portion 26 is a backing member 32 of sheet metal 1dimensioned to be received in nested relation within the front cover portion 26, having a rear wall 33 `disposed to lie in parallelism with the iront wall 27 of the front cover portion 26I in alignment With the rear edge of the top ange 23, the backing member 32- having forwardly projecting top and bottom flanges 34 and 35 to maintain the proper spacing between the rear wall 33 and the front wall 27 of the `front cover portion 26. Rearwai'dly projecting stops y36 extend a short `distance from the lateral margins of the rear wall 33 about which retaining lugs 37 on the end wall lianges 30, 31 of the front cover portion 26 are bent to retain the backing member and front cover portion :in assembled relation.

The external latching member 25 is assembled with the 'base plate member 16 for latenal rectilinear sliding movement relative to the stationary base plate member, the rear wall 33 of the backing member 32 having a pair of rearwardly projecting guide lugs 3S, which extend through laterally elongated and aligned slots 17a in 'the front wall 17 of the base plate member 16. The upper 'and lower edges of the slots 17a are spaced Jtrom each other substantially in conformity to the vertical width of the guide lugs 38 to guide the external latching member 25 in a rectilinear path sidewise or laterally of the external latch member 25. A leaf spring retainer 39 lies against the back of the fro-nt wall 17 between the guide 'lugs 38` and is retained in this position to hold the members 25 and 16 in relatively slidable assembled condition by the ends of the lugs 38 which are Ibent against the retainer. The retainer spring 39 in the preferred embodiment herein illustrated is of greater height than the slots 17a to lap bounding portions of the front wall 17 and has recesses 39a at the opposite ends to receive the :lugs 38 and raised formations 39b bounding the bases of the recesses 39a against which the lugs 38 are ibent. Additionally, the Ibottom flange 19 of the base plate member 16 slidably bears 'against the bottom flange 29 or" the front cover portion 26 of the external latching member 2S and the front wall 17 has a pair of laterally aligned forwardly bent lock tongues 40 which project into a rectilinear slot 41 in the rear wall 33 of the backing member 32, al1

cooperating to guide the external latching member 25 in the preselected rectilinear path of lateral movement.

The top flange 18 of the base plate member 16 has a pair of upwardly projecting alignment tongues 42 adapted to project into complementary slots 43 in the lower wall of ilange 44 of the keeper section`12, the keeper section being in the -form of a laterally elongated keeper bar having a length corresponding substantially :to the length of the front cover portion 26 of the external latching member 25 and being designed to be secured to the front Wall of the upper part or cover y14 of the receptacle. In the preferred embodiment, the keeper section 12 is formed of sheet metal 'and includes a -front Wall 45, a top ilange 46 paralleling and corresponding in depth to the bottom flange 44, and end ilanges 47 of similar depth at the llongitudinal ends of the keeper bar.. `A hook or catch tongue 48 having a catch shoulder 49 is bent rearwardly from the rear wall 33 of the backing member 32 of the external latching member assembly 25, the catch tongue 48 having a working hook portion disposed in rearwardly oifset parallel relation to the rear Wall 33 which .is designed to be received within an interlocking slot 50 formed in the lower ange 44 of the keeper section 12. When the external latching member 215 is shifted laterally to its unlocking limit position illustrated in FIGURE 3 wherein the rnernber 25 is laterally 0E- set relative lto the keeper `12, the catch tongue 48 is aligned vertically with 4the interlocking slot 50 in the keeper 12 and the `alignment tongues 42 on the base plate member 16 are aligned with the associated slots 43 in the keeper 12. In this condition, the keeper 12 and the receptacle cover 14 on which the keeper is mounted can be shifted vertically relative to each other to withdraw the catch tongue 48 from the interlocking slot 50, thus permitting opening of the receptacle cover 14. When the receptacle cover is in closed condition and the alignment tongues 42 and catch tongue 48 are projected fully through the associated slots 43 and 50 of the keeper 12, the external latching member 25 may be shifted laterally into alignment with the keeper 12 to the locking limit position illustrated in FIGURE 4, during which the working hook shaped part of the catch tongue 48 is shifted Ilatera'lly within the keeper section v12 relative to the keeper to locate the catch shoulder 49 over the bordering portions of the lower flange 44 of the keeper 12 adjacent the interlock slot 50 and thereby interlock Ithe keeper and latching sections against separation.

To eiect key locking of the external latching member 25 in this locking limit position, a simple locking mechanism in the #form of a disc-like bolt 51 is supported tor rotation about its central axis in the circular way 52 pressed in the rear vv-all 33 of the backing member 32 and shaped to complement the bolt 51. The bolt 51 is in the shape of a truncated disc cut along a chord so that the at 53 lies flush 'with the upper edge of the slot 41 in the rear wall 33 of the backing member 32 when the bolt 51 is in unlocking position. The bolt 51 has one or more indentations or sockets 54 lin the rear face thereof to register with a restraining detent or detents 55 in the rear -wall 33 at the unlocking position and at a locking position spaced 180 from the unlocking position wherein a segment of the bolt 51 projects below the upper edge of the slot 41. The spaced lock tongues which project through the slot 41 from the front wall 17 of the base plate member 16 are spaced apart a distance corresponding substantially to the chordal length of that portion of the bolt 511 which registers with the slot 41,

the -lock tongues 40 being located to ank the bolt 51 when the external latching member 25 is in the locking limit position. The usual key barrel 56 is disposed forwardly of the bolt 51 .and projects through a suitable circular opening in the front wall 27 of the front cover portion 26.

It will be apparent that when a key is inserted into the key barrel 56 and bolt 51 and rotated to align the flat 53 of the bolt with the slot 41, the lock tongues 40l are then freed for movement along the slot 41. The external latching member 2S may `then be' shifted laterally to the position illustrated in FIGURE 3, which brings the catch tongue 48 into alignment with `the interlock slot 50 of thel keeper so that the catch tongue 48 may freely pass through the catch slot and be withdrawn therefrom upon opening movement of the receptacle cover 14.

When the receptacle cover 14 is lowered to closed condition relative to `the receptacle body portion 13, the external latching member 25 may lthen be shifted laterally to the locking limit position illustrated in FIG- URE 4, which effects interlocking of the catch tongue 48 and the keeper 12 to prevent relative opening movement of the -tWo receptacle parts. Rotation of the bolt 5`1 by the key to bring an uninterrupted portion of the bolt into registry with hte slot 41 between the lock tongues 40` of the base plate member 16 locks the latching member 25 against displacement from the locking limit position.

While but one preferred example of the present invention has been particularly shown and described, it is apparent that various modifications may be made therein the invention as .are imposed by the prior art and set forth in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A latch mechanism for relcasably securing together separable parts of a receptacle adjacent a line of separation along coplanar front surfaces of the parts comprisf mg:

a mounting base member adapted to be affixed to one of said front surfaces having a front Wall spaced from the associated front surface and in parallelism therewith,

an elongated latching member forming a rearwardly opening cover for said base member disposed with its longitudinal axis in parallelism with said line of separation,

said latching member having a length to accommodate movement of said latching member along said axis relative to said base member from .a latching position to a release position and a width transversely of said axis to lap over a portion of the front surface of the other receptacle part when the receptacle parts are in closed condition,

means mounting said latching'memher on said base member for rectilinear reciprocative movement along said longitudinal axis,

said latching member including a latching tongue of hook-shaped configuration extending across said line of separation to overlie the front surface of the other receptacle part,

and a hollow elongated keeper member having a length corresponding to the longitudinal dimension of said latching member adapted to be afxed to the front surface of the other receptacle part adjacent said line of separation to underlie ksaid latching member when the latter is in said latching position in substantial registry with the portion of the latching member overlapping said other receptacle part,

said keeper member having `an interlock slot opening toward said base member to accommodate insertion .and withdrawal of said latching tongue therethrough when said latching member is in said release position,

longitudinal movement of said latching member from said release position to said latching position being operative to interlock the nose portion of said latching tongue with portions of said keeper member bounding said interlock slot.

V2. A latch mechanism for relcasably securing together separable parts of a receptacle adjacent a line of separanon along coplanar front surfaces of the parts comprislng:

an elongated hollow keeper member to be aixed to one of said front surfaces adjacent said line of separation,

a mounting base member adapted to be aflxed to the other of said front surfaces having a front wall spaced from the associated front surface and in parallelism therewith,

an elongated latching member forming a rearwardly opening cover for said base member yand keeper member when disposed in a latched position having a front panel and rearwardly projecting longitudinal and transverse marginal flanges,

said latching member being disposed with its longitudinal laxis in parallelism with said line of separation and having a length to accommodate longitudinal movement of said latching member relative to said base member from a latching position to a release position,

means mounting said latching member on said base member for rectilinear reciprocative longitudinal movement parallel to said line of separation,

said latching member including a latching tongue of separable parts of a receptacle adjacent a line of separahook-shaped configuration extending beyond the tion along coplanar front surfaces of the parts comprisfront wall of said base member to project across ing:

said line of separation `and overlie said front surface said release position to said latching position being operative to interlock the nose portion of said latching tongue with portions of said adjacent ange of said keeper member bounding said interlock slot. 4. A latch mechanism for releasably securing together an elongated hollow keeper member :to be aixed to of the other receptacle part, said latching tongue one of said front surfaces adjacent said line of sepiavingdfa iose' portion projecting parallel to said aratiotn, b b d tdt b dt th yongitu ina axis, i a mouning ase mem er a ap e o e a Xe Ao e said keeper member having arearwardly opening chanother of said front surfaces having a front wall nel-shaped configuration of a length corresponding spaced from the associated front surface and in parallongitudinally to: said latching member to substan- 10 leli'sm therewith having longitudinal and transverse tially underlie said latching member when the latter marginal ilanges relative to said line projecting tois in said latching position, said keeper member havward said front surface, ing an interlock slot in aflange portion of said keeper an elongated latching member including a cover pormember adjacent said base member to accommodateI tion yforming a rearwardly opening cover for said insertlrin ad vithdravall olil said latlghing tongue1 15 baetnlieriber and kieeper menber when 1disprsed in theret roug w ensai atc ing mem er is in sai a ac e posi ion aving a ront pane an rearrelease position, i wardly projecting longitudinal and transverse marlongitudinal movement of said latching member from ginal anges between -which said base member is said release position to said latching position being received 1n nested relation, l operative to interlock the nose portion of said latoha backing panel portion xed in said cover portion in -ing -tongue with portions o f saidadjacent tlange of spaced parallelism with said f ront panel forming a said keeper member bounding said interlock slot. at Slide surface to work against the front Wall of 3. A latch mechanism for releasably securing together said base member, n separable parts of a receptacle adjacent a line of separasaid latching member being disposed with its longition along copl-anar front surfaces of the parts compris- 4tiidinal xlils in parallelism said line1 tif separaing; ion an i aving a spacing e Ween sai ransverse an elongated hollow keeper member to be aiiixed to flanges t0 accommodate longitudinal movement of one of said front ysurfaces adjacent said line of sepsaid latching member relative to said base member i1-ation from a latching position to a release position,

a mounting base member adapted to be affixed to the Ithe longitudinal marginal flanges of said latching memother of said front surfaces having a front wall ber Cover and said base member beine in Confrontspaced from the associated front Surface and in ing sliding contact, said front wall of said base memparaiieiism therewith having iongitudinsi and transber having a pair 0f Spacedi, elongated guide Slots verse marginal flanges relative to said line projecting aligned in parallelism with said longitudinal axis and toward said from Surface5 35 said backing portio-n of said latching member having an elongated latching member including a cover porgulde OII'gUCS projecting rearwardly therefrom tion frmingda 1rearwardly oeninghcove for sacild base fn'enll steld guide dletsrd l t d .d f mem er `an eeper mem er W en jspose in a Sal. gill C .Ong-iles an gul e S O S an :S211 COll IOlltlatched position having a front panel and rearwardly g1g lenltllldlnl malglnel llenge-S enacting 0 C011- projecting longitudinal and transverse marginal 40 ne Sal le 'ng member O InOVeInent eleng a anges between which said base member is received I'eCtlllnee-I' Path Parallel t0 Seid line 0f SePafe'fOn, in nested relation, said latching member including a latching tongue of a backing panel portion xed in said cover portion in hoek-Shaped 'eenllgufatlen extending bei/0nd the pacelddparalfelism with 1aid front 11panfel formililg gleltlllotef Seld tease Incnbefro P Tglet HCIOSS at si e su ace to wor against e ront w o separa 1011 al1 Over 1e Sai ront sursaid base member, 4: face of the other receptacle part, said latching tongue said latching member being disposed with its longituhavlng e n0Se Peillon Preleetlng Parallel t0 Said dinal aXis in parallelism with said line of separation l0ng1l1d1nal 3x18, u and having a spacing'bet'ween said transverse anges Said keeper member hal/lng e lealwal'dly Opening Chanto accomriodate longitudinaldmgnvement o sai? latchel-Sledltltonguraioln o; a length corresponding ing mem er `re ative to sai ase mem er rom a Ongi 1na Y 10 Sel ale lng member 'EO SUbSanlatching position to a release position, tially underlie said latching member when the latter said latching member including a latching tongue of 1S itl said latching position, said keeper member hook-shaped configuration extending beyond the having an interlock slot in a flange portion of said front wall of said base member to project across said keeper member adjacent said 'base member to acline of separation and overlie vsaid front surface commodate insertion and withdrawal of said latchof the other receptacle part, said latching tongue lng tongue therethrough when said lat-ching member having a nose. portion projecting parallel to said is in said release position, longitudinal axis, longitudinal movement of said latching member from Said pef nember 'hal'.mg affea-rwafdly @Pemng ellen' 60 said release position to said latching position being ne -s' ape con guration o a length corresponding operative to interlock the nose portion of said latchlongitudinally to said latching member to substaning tongue with portions of said adjacent ilanve of tially underlie said latching member when `the latter said keeper member bounding said` interlock slot. is in said latching position, said keeper member hav- 5 A latch mechanism ,for rele bl A ing aii interlock slot in a ange portion of said keeper qe Fable arts ,E sa y sec'lmng Logethel member adjacent said basemember to accommodate ign alLmp CO 10a na refp tac e lantfallme ef Sepaminsertion and withdrawal of said latching tongue i g p ar mn Suf-aces 0 t e Pells Ceintherethrough when said latching member is in said pnlnlongated hollow ke p b t b d t release position, e r mem er o c a ne o longitudinal movement of said latching member from one 0f Sad front Surfaces edlffleent 52nd hue Of separation,

a mounting base member adapted to be aiixed to the other of said front surfaces having a front wall spaced from the associated front surface land in parallelism therewith having longitudinal and transverse marginal flanges relative to said line projecting toward said `front surface,

`an elongated latching member including a cover portion forming a rearwardly opening cover for said base member and keeper member when disposed in a latched position having a front panel and rearwandly projecting longitudinal land transverse marginal lflanges between which said base member is received in nested relation,

la backing panel portion fixed in said cover portion in spaced parallelism with said front panel defining ay lock chamber therebetween forming a flat slide surface to work against the front wall of `said base member,

said latching member being disposed with its longitudinal axis in parallelism with said line of separation and having la spacing between said transverse anges to accommodate longitudinal movement of said latching member relative to. said base member from `a latching position to a release position,

said latching member including a latching tongue of hook-shaped coniiguration extending beyond the stront wall of said base member to project across said line o-f separation and -overlie said front surface of the other receptacle part, said latching tongue having a nose portion projecting parallel to said longitudinal axis,

said keeper member having a rearwardly opening channel-shaped configuration of Ia length corresponding longitudinally to said latching member to substantially underlie said latching member when the latter is in said latching position, said keeper member having an interlock slot in a ange portionv of said keeper member adjacent said base member to accommodate insertion and Withdrawal of said latching tongue therethrough -When said latching member is in said release position,

longitudinal movement of said latching member from said release position to said latching position being operative to interlock the nose portion of said latching tongue with portions of said adjacent liange of said keeper member b-ounding said interlock slot,

said backing portion having aV rectilinear slot therein paralleling said longitudinal axis, said front Wall of said base member having a pair of longitudinally spaced locking lugs aligned with said slot projecting therethrough into said lock chamber between said backing panel and `front panel,

and a key operable locking bolt disposed in said lock chamber having a portion projectable between said locking lugs into position to prevent movement of said latching member from said latching position relative to said base member when said locking bolt occupies a preselected locking position.

6. A latch mechanism for releasably securing together separable parts of a receptacle adjacent a line of separation along coplanar front surfaces of the parts comprising:

an elongated hollow keeper member to be affixed to one of said front surfaces adjacent said line of separation,

a mounting base member adapted to be aliixed to the other of said front surfaces having a front wall spaced from the associated front surface and in parallelism therewith having longitudinal and transverse marginal iizanges relative to said line projecting toward said front surface,

an elongated latching member including a cover portion forming a rearwardly opening cover for said base member and keeper member when disposed in a latched position having a -front panel and rearwardly projecting longitudinal and transverse marginal flanges between which said base member is received in nested relation, la backing panel portion iixed in said cover portion in spaced parallelism with said iront panel defining a lock chamber therebetween' forming a fiat slide surface to Work against the front wall of said base member, said latching member being disposed with its longitudinal axis in parallelism with said line of separation and having a spacing between said transverse iianges to accommodate longitudinal movement of said latching member relative to said base member from la latchinlg position to a release position, the longitudinal marginal flanges of said latching member -cover and said base member -being in confronting sliding contact, said front wall of said base member having a pair of spaced, elongated guide slots yaligned in parallelism with said longitudinal axis and said backing portion of said latching member having guide tongues projecting rearwardly therefrom through said guide slots, said guide tongues land guide slots and said confronting longitudinal marginal il-anges coacting to contine said latching member to movement along a rectilinear path parallel to said line of separation, said latching member including a latching ton-gue of hook-shaped configuration extending beyond the `front Wall of said base member to project across said line of separation and overlie said front surface of the other receptacle part, said latching tongue having :a nose portion projecting parallel to said longitudinal axis, said keeper member having a rearwardly opening channel-shaped conigunation of alength corresponding longitudinally to said latching member to substantially underlie said latching member when the latter is in said latching position, said keeper member having an interlock slot in a liange portion of said keeper member adjacent said base member to accommodate insertion and withdrawal of said latching tongue therethrough when said latching member is i-n said release position, longitudinal movement of said latching member from said release position to said latching position being operative to interlock the nose portion of said latching tongue with portions of said adjacent han-ge of said keeper member bounding said interlock slot, said backing portion having a rectilinear slot therein paralleling said longitudinal axis, said front wall of said base member having a pair of longitudinally spaced locking lugs aligned with said slot projecting therethrough into said lock chamber between said backing panel yand front panel, and la key operable locking bolt disposed in said lock chamber having a portion projectable between said locking lugs into position to prevent movement of `said latching member from said latching position relative to said base member when said locking bolt occupies a preselected locking position.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,897,666 Gumport Aug. y4, 1959 

1. A LATCH MECHANISM FOR RELEASABLY SECURING TOGETHER SEPARABLE PARTS OF A RECEPTACLE ADJACENT A LINE OF SEPARATION ALONG COPLANAR FRONT SURFACES OF THE PARTS COMPRISING: A MOUNTING BASE MEMBER ADAPTED TO BE AFFIXED TO ONE OF SAID FRONT SURFACES HAVING A FRONT WALL SPACED FROM THE ASSOCIATED FRONT SURFACE AND IN PARALLELISM THEREWITH, AN ELONGATED LATCHING MEMBER FORMING A REARWARDLY OPENING COVER FOR SAID BASE MEMBER DISPOSED WITH ITS LONGITUDINAL AXIS IN PARALLELISM WITH SAID LINE OF SEPARATION, SAID LATCHING MEMBER HAVING A LENGTH TO ACCOMMODATE MOVEMENT OF SAID LATCHING MEMBER ALONG SAID AXIS RELATIVE TO SAID BASE MEMBER FROM A LATCHING POSITION TO A RELEASE POSITION AND A WIDTH TRANSVERSELY OF SAID AXIS TO LAP OVER A PORTION OF THE FRONT SURFACE OF THE OTHER RECEPTACLE PART WHEN THE RECEPTACLE PARTS ARE IN CLOSED CONDITION, MEANS MOUNTING SAID LATCHING MEMBER ON SAID BASE MEMBER FOR RECTILINEAR RECIPROCATIVE MOVEMENT ALONG SAID LONGITUDINAL AXIS, SAID LATCHING MEMBER INCLUDING A LATCHING TONGUE OF HOOK-SHAPED CONFIGURATION EXTENDING ACROSS SAID LINE OF SEPARATION TO OVERLIE THE FRONT SURFACE OF THE OTHER RECEPTACLE PART, AND A HOLLOW ELONGATED KEEPER MEMBER HAVING A LENGTH CORRESPONDING TO THE LONGITUDINAL DIMENSION OF SAID LATCHING MEMBER ADAPTED TO BE AFFIXED TO THE FRONT SURFACE OF THE OTHER RECEPTACLE PART ADJACENT SAID LINE OF SEPARATION TO UNDERLIE SAID LATCHING MEMBER WHEN THE LATTER IS IN SAID LATCHING POSITION IN SUBSTANTIAL REGISTRY WITH THE PORTION OF THE LATCHING MEMBER OVERLAPPING SAID OTHER RECEPTACLE PART, SAID KEEPER MEMBER HAVING AN INTERLOCK SLOT OPENING TOWARD SAID BASE MEMBER TO ACCOMMODATE INSERTION AND WITHDRAWAL OF SAID LATCHING TONGUE THERETHROUGH WHEN SAID LATCHING MEMBER IS IN SAID RELEASE POSITION, LONGITUDINAL MOVEMENT OF SAID LATCHING MEMBER FROM SAID RELEASE POSITION TO SAID LATCHING POSITION BEING OPERATIVE TO INTERLOCK THE NOSE PORTION OF SAID LATCHING TONGUE WITH PORTIONS OF SAID KEEPER MEMBER BOUNDING SAID INTERLOCK SLOT. 